Stahlhammer is a Neue Deutsche Härte

Neue Deutsche Härte

Neue Deutsche Härte is a genre of industrial metal. The term was invented by the German music press after the release of the debut album Herzeleid by Rammstein....

 band from Austria

Austria

Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...

 that formed in 1992. They incorporate elements from hardcore

Hardcore techno

Hardcore techno is a type of electronic music typified by the rhythmic use of distorted and atonal industrial-like beats and samples...

, groove metal

Groove metal

Groove metal is a subgenre of heavy metal. It was often used to describe Pantera and Exhorder.- Characteristics and origins :Pantera's Cowboys from Hell album from 1990 was described as "groundbreaking" and "blueprint-defining" for the groove metal genre...

, industrial metal

Industrial metal

Industrial metal is a musical genre that draws from industrial music and many different types of heavy metal, using repeating metal guitar riffs, sampling, synthesizer or sequencer lines, and distorted vocals. Founding industrial metal acts include Ministry, Godflesh, and KMFDM.Industrial metal's...

 and symphonic metal

Symphonic metal

Symphonic metal is a term used to describe heavy metal music that has symphonic elements; that is, elements that are either borrowed from classical music or, as with progressive rock music, create a style reminiscent of it, e.g...

 into their songs. The band has to this date produced six albums, where the majority of songs are in German. Their latest album is Opera Noir, which was released in March 2006.

History

Stahlhammer is one of the most popular bands to ever come out of Austria

Austria

Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...

.The band name was originally going to be "Eisenherz", but copyright laws for the German "Prince Valiant" stories prohibited this. Their first album Killer Instinkt

Killer Instinkt

Killer Instinkt is an album by the Austrian heavy metal band Stahlhammer. It was released in 1995. The album became popular throughout Germany and Austria, mainly due to the success of their video for the Pink Floyd cover "Another Brick in the Wall"....

, released in 1995, became widely known throughout Austria and Germany due to the success of their video for the Pink Floyd

Pink Floyd

Pink Floyd were an English rock band that achieved worldwide success with their progressive and psychedelic rock music. Their work is marked by the use of philosophical lyrics, sonic experimentation, innovative album art, and elaborate live shows. Pink Floyd are one of the most commercially...

 cover "Another Brick In The Wall". Among Stahlhammer's several covers is a version of M.C. Hammer's infamous hit U Can't Touch This

U Can't Touch This

"U Can't Touch This" is MC Hammer's 1990 super hit signature song, from his album Please Hammer, Don't Hurt 'Em. The album sold more than 10 million copies, due primarily to this single, and gaining multi-platinum certifications from the RIAA, and other Recording Industries.Rick James sued Hammer...

. The title of the fourth album Eisenherz was originally supposed to be the band's name.

Current members

• Gary Wheeler - Vocals, guitars, keyboard, programming
• Peter Karolyi - Bass
• Michael Stoker - Drums

Former members

• Niko Stössl - Guitar
• Thomas Schuler - Guitar
• Conrad Schrenk - Guitar
• Georgij Alexandrowitsch Makazaria - Vocals

Discography

• Killer Instinkt
  Killer Instinkt
  Killer Instinkt is an album by the Austrian heavy metal band Stahlhammer. It was released in 1995. The album became popular throughout Germany and Austria, mainly due to the success of their video for the Pink Floyd cover "Another Brick in the Wall"....
  
  (1995)
• Wiener Blut (1997)
• Feind Hört Mit
  Feind Hört Mit
  Feind Hört Mit is an album by Austrian heavy metal band Stahlhammer. It was released on April 27, 1999. The album's text is largely written in a font of Cyrillic letters, though the words are German...
  
  (1999)
• Eisenherz (2002)
• Stahlmania
  Stahlmania
  Stahlmaina is the fifth studio album by Austrian heavy metal band Stahlhammer released on September 20, 2004. The album was signed to record label Goodsongs and was distributed by Sony Germany...
  
  (2004)
• Opera Noir
  Opera Noir
  Opera Noir is the sixth studio album by Austrian heavy metal band Stahlhammer released on March 31, 2006. The album follows the "Stahlhammer tradition" with cover songs of David Bowie's "Heroes/Helden" and Phil Collins's "In The Air Tonight"....
  
  (2006)

Band members by album

• Killer Instinct:

Gary Wheeler (vocals), Thomas Schuler (guitar), Peter Karolyi (bass), and Michael Stocker (Drums).

• Wiener Blut:

Georgij Alexandrowitsch Makazaria (vocals), Thomas Schuler (guitar), Peter Karolyi (bass), and Michael Stocker(Drums).

• Feind Hört Mit:

Georgij Alexandrowitsch Makazaria (vocals), Conrad Schrenk (guitar), Peter Karolyi (bass), and Michael Stocker (Drums).

• Eisenherz :

Gary Wheeler (vocals), Niko Stössl (guitar), Peter Karolyi (bass), and Michael Stocker (Drums).

• Stahlmania:

Gary Wheeler (vocals, guitar), Peter Karolyi (bass), and Michael Stocker (Drums).

• Opera Noir:

Gary Wheeler (vocals, guitar), Peter Karolyi (bass), and Geoff Dugmore (Drums).